I Promised
by QueenDromeda
Summary: Ted promised that neither of them would die, and he better keep his word. - Ted x Andromeda - For the Marauders Competition.


It was cold outside. And while it was expected, as anyone who thought it would be warm here in mid December was delusioned, she thought that the weather would be kinder to them. Nothing Ted did caused her harm before, so when offered she grabbed his hand, putting her big girl panties on, and braving the frosty streets of London.

His hand was warm, and his arms were swinging while they walked. She hadn't asked where he was taking her when he showed up at their meeting spot, immediately going to his side. Now they had been strolling through alleys and narrow streets for nearly half an hour, and, though not one to usually complain about how out of the box their dates were, her feet were starting to blister.

Sighing, she tried to ignore the flashes of pain, wishing that she had worn her soft mary jane flats. Ted squeezed her hand tightly, his gloved hand completely covering hers, before dragging her down yet another back alley.

How wonderful.

"Ted, darling, I'm sorry but where are we going?" She asked, brushing back a stray curl.

He didn't turn towards her; he didn't even acknowledge the question, and for a moment she thought that he wasn't going to answer. But he did, in a completely illusive manner of course.

"Somewhere past this street," He assured, a cloud of air bunching around his face.

She _hmmed _not entirely accepting the answer. He didn't seem to mind though, only shooting her a quick smile in an apology. Not that she felt like forgiving him any time soon after this trip. Instead she picked up her pace, forcing him to do the same in an effort to, hopefully, get them to wherever, faster.

"You know, I'm not trying to be rude. I'm trying to create a surprise," He commented, seeming to have sensed her tenseness.

Barley looking at him from the corner of her eye, she arched an eyebrow, "Is that so? Well, maybe I would be better prepared for this if you mentioned something beforehand."

"That would destroy the point of a surprise, Andy," Ted sniped, and, judging from his tone of voice, he was also rolling his hazel eyes.

She shivered, the wind picking up around her, "Don't take that tone with me, Tonks. I could just as easily leave."

"You could," He agreed, tilting his head to her, "But it would be a waste considering that we're here."

Blinking in surprise she found herself staring out at a frozen lake. It was, in all honesty, a breathtakingly perfect sight to see, and even though it sounded extremely corny, her breath caught in her throat. The body of water was surrounded by snow filled tree's and grass that's yet to be walked on.

Looking at Ted, who was biting his lip in nervousness, she spluttered, "Has anyone been here before?"

He seemed to take this as a good sign, because a smile easily slide over his face, "In the warmer months, probably, but now, since it's such a pain to get here no one ever shows up. Which means-"

"We have the place to ourselves," She finished, hesitant to move from her spot.

"Exactly. And rather than just staring at it, because let's face it that would be dreadful, I have come prepared," With that declaration he pulled a small baggy out of his coat pocket, and his wand.

Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "Whatever are you doing?"

Pulling to sets of shrunken ice skates out of the bag, he muttered under his breath until he was holding two full sized pairs, "What does it look like? We're going skating."

"Really?" She questioned, her voice full of skepticism, "Have you ever been skating? Because I haven't and I don't fancy dying tonight."

By now he was sitting on the wet ground, shoving one of the things on his left foot, "No one's going to die tonight, Andy."

She wasn't convinced, "Promise?"

Working on the other foot now, he looked up at her solemnly, "Cross my heart and hope to die."

Nodding, she bent over, pulling one of her boots off without touching the snow. As she worked the bladed-shoes over her feet, Ted stood off to the side, watching her with an intensity he hadn't used in a while. Once both skates were on, and she had worked out how to stand, she finally tilted her head to him.

"Why are you looking at me?"

Ted glided, because there was no other way to describe the way he moved now, over to her, offering his arm, "I think it's cute when you're unsure of yourself."

"I am not unsure about myself. What on Earth are you talking about?"

He glanced at her, his eyes sparkling, "You know, it's okay to need help every once in a while. I know you haven't a clue how to skate, but that's okay, because I'm here to help."

By now they were at the edge of the ice, "Is that why you picked this out? To teach me some sort of lesson?"

"Course not! I picked this out because you need to have fun in a sporadic way."

Her dark eyes narrowed, "I am plenty sporadic, thank you."

"Then prove it, Andy. Let go of my hand, and go out on the ice," Ted challenged, his tone startlingly serious.

"Fine."

As soon as the word left her mouth, she yanked her hand out of his. For a moment she just stood staring in uncertainty at the icy surface. What if it wasn't completely solid? Or if it broke under her weight? She was no Gryffindor. She couldn't do this; this was crazy and suicidal and- She caught Ted's eye, seeing something completely new in it.

Steeling her nerves, she took a slow, not to mention extremely sloppy, step off of land and on to the ice. There was a slight crackle under her, causing a wave of unneeded adrenaline to surge through her as she tensed up, waiting for the surface to break out from under her.

It didn't.

Thanking Merlin, she tentatively pushed herself forward, laughing slightly when she saw that she was safe. Twisting back around to face her boyfriend she saw him watching her with a gigantic grin on his face. Outstretching her arm to him, he accepted, bending his knees and gliding, once again, to her.

"Was that so bad?" He asked after they made a loop around the lake.

She nodded, "Yes, it was. I think I figured out why the sorting hat put me in Slytherin and not Gryffindor."

Ted chuckled, pulling her out closer to the center of the pond, "Well, if it's any consolation, you're the nicest Slytherin I have had the pleasure to meet."

"You only say that because I'm the only one that snogs you," She teased, moving her body closer to his.

"I'm sure if they knew me better they'd be lining up to have a piece of me," He assured, spinning them around.

She nodded in agreement, "Ah yes, I'm certain that Crabbe would just love to have a taste of you. He wouldn't be able to resist."

"You weren't able too," He breathed into her ear, tickling her side.

Surprised at the touch, she jumped, slipping backwards towards the hard, easily breakable, surface. Luckily, before the inevitable crash could happen, Ted was holding her by the elbows. He lifted her up slowly, his eyes never leaving her face.

And then, in the spur of the moment, he crashed his lips onto hers. Unexpectedly, his lips were warm, despite the chilling weather around them, and as always he tasted like peppermint. She pushed her body against his, deepening the kiss, a warm tingle spreading through her body.

All too soon, he pulled away, trying to control his now rapid breathing. His face was flushed, which meant that hers was too, but that didn't matter. The only thing she wanted now was to kiss her boyfriend again. They hadn't had a good snog in a while and the time was never more perfect.

Only it wasn't.

Once the high of the kiss left, the sound of slow claps filled her ears. Without looking she knew whoever it was, was bad; the look on Ted's face said that much. Breathing in deeply, she braced herself for anything and anyone. Obviously, she didn't try hard enough because as soon as her eyes set themselves on her sister she froze in complete fear.

"Isn't this adorable?" Bellatrix yawned, her hands curling into her pockets once the clapping stopped.

Neither of them said anything.

This seemed to amuse the eldest Black sister, "Cat's got your tongues? Honestly Andromeda, you can't be surprised to see me, I mean you've snuck out nearly a hundred times. Someone was bound to notice."

Ted gripped his hands on her arms tighter, "Why exactly are you here?"

Something between fury and hatred crossed Bellatrix's harsh features, "And who said you could talk to me, mudblood!"

She opened her mouth to speak, but Bella cut her off, "I don't even want to hear you talk, sister of mine. How dare you go against the family, and how dare you see this filth!"

Finally possessing the power to speak again, she shouted back, "I love him, Bella! Is that so hard to believe? Is it impossible to think that I could love someone so much that I would risk everything for them?" Then a low laugh escaped her lips, "Then again, I don't think you know the first thing about love."

Her sister was walking across the grass now, her wand dropping into her hand, "Do you hear yourself talk, Andromeda? You sound like a blood traitor; you sound like you never loved me or Cissy."

Stepping backwards, and pushing her silent boyfriend with her, she yelled, "That's because I am a blood traitor! It's obvious, isn't it? You caught me out here with my muggleborn beau, snogging! How else would I sound?"

Bella was right in front of her now, and her voice was gentler, "Guilty. You could sound guilty, or apologetic- you could even beg for forgiveness. Anything to show that you still want to be in the family; that you still want to be my sister."

This stunned her, "W-What do you mean?"

"Don't be daft. Unless you leave the mudblood, mother's going to burn you off the tapestry. What else would she do in this position?"

The breath caught in her throat. This was it. This was the moment she had been avoiding since her relationship with Ted had picked up. She had known from the start that she'd have to choose between him and her family, and now that day had come entirely too soon. And, despite how terrible it sounded, she knew her answer without a moment's hesitation.

"Then I suppose she'll have to get her wand ready," She said, her voice void of all emotion, and she heard a faint exhale of air coming from Ted.

Bella seemed legitimately shocked, "You picked him over us. You picked a mudblood over your family?"

"It was no comparison. With him I give love and am loved. With you, and everybody else, I'm leached of all compassion I have."

Her sister's eyes flashed, "Well then, it was _lovely _meeting with you, _Black_. Though I am sorry for how much destruction took place; such a tragedy."

Ted, after gathering up enough courage, asked, "What destruction?"

Seeing the vindictive glint in Bellatrix's eyes, she knew that this would be bad, but before she could reach her own wand, her sister pointed hers at the ice under his feet, "This destruction. Bombarda!"

To her horror, the Hufflepuff fell, with a loud plop, into the freezing water; sinking instead of emerging. She dropped to her knees with a scream, and, in a worthless attempt at rescue, pushed her arms down the hole.

"Shame," Bella laughed, "Next time you won't be so lucky, Black, but I suppose I still feel something for you."

The pop of apparition gave her just enough time to slow, and sort through her frantic thoughts. He had been down there for nearly a minute now and no sign of him rising had shown. That was not good. That was worse than not good; this was probably deadly. Fumbling with her wand, she pointed it at the crack with a trembling hand.

She muttered, "Accio Edward Tonks."

At first nothing happened. Then the water rippled from under her, and out popped her boyfriend- sopping wet and spazzing on the ice. Again she pointed her wand at him, this time summoning the water in his lungs. He was still coughing though, and that was doubtlessly terrible, but at least he wasn't dead.

Scooting over to him, she wrapped her arms around his shivering form, "I thought I lost you. I thought you had died, Ted Tonks."

It took a moment for him to respond, but he had one trembling arm put around her, "I promised that we'd both live, didn't I? I wouldn't break a promise."

That's when she started sobbing.

_Fin._

o0o

Bellatrix's character seems slightly off to me, and perhaps I should have added more to the confrontation; but, in the end, I'm happy with it.

This was written for the Marauders Competition over on the HPFC Forum; I hope this works for it!

Please tell me if you find any glaring errors.


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